Truth for Life - May 12, 2017

The Lord Jesus gives special revelations of Himself to His people. Even if Scripture did not declare this, many of the children of God could testify to the truth of it from their own experience. They have had manifestations of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in a peculiar manner, such as no mere reading or hearing could afford.

In the biographies of eminent saints, you will find many instances recorded in which Jesus has been pleased in a very special manner to speak to their souls and to unfold the wonders of His person; in this way their souls have been steeped in happiness, and they have thought themselves to be in heaven. Although they were not there, they were close to the threshold of it--for when Jesus manifests Himself to His people, it is heaven on earth; it is paradise in embryo; it is bliss begun.

Special manifestations of Christ exercise a holy influence on the believer's heart. One effect will be humility. If a man says, "I have had such-and-such spiritual communications, I am a great man," he has never had any communion with Jesus at all; for "the LORD regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar."1 He does not need to come near the haughty to know them and will never give them any visits of love. Another effect will be happiness; for in God's presence there are pleasures forevermore. Holiness will be sure to follow. A man who has no holiness has never had this manifestation. Some men profess a great deal; but we must not believe anyone unless we see that his actions agree with what he says. "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked."2 He will not bestow His favors upon the wicked, for He will neither cast away a perfect man, nor will He respect an evildoer. Thus there will be three effects of nearness to Jesus--humility, happiness, and holiness. May God give them to you, Christian!

My 1st Books and More is a compilation from the series My 1st Book . . . by Carine MacKenzie and Philip Ross. Consolidating the content from all of these titles in one resource, My 1st Books and More gives parents a comprehensive study tool from which to teach children Christian values, the Gospel, the nature of the One True God, Jesus Lord and Saviour, the Psalms, and prayers from Scripture. Presented in a devotional style question and answer format, My 1st Books and More contains more than a year’s worth (371) questions and answers for parents to discuss with young children. Not intended for independent reading by children, this book is for families to share God-centered, Christ-honoring, character-building teaching.

About Truth For Life

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About Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg has been in pastoral ministry for more than 30 years. Following graduation from The London School of Theology he served eight years in Scotland at both Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh and Hamilton Baptist Church. For the last 22 years he has been the senior pastor at Parkside Church near Cleveland, Ohio. He has written several books and is heard daily and weekly on the radio program, Truth For Life. The teaching on Truth For Life stems from the week by week Bible teaching at Parkside Church. He was recently awarded an honorary doctorate from Cedarville University. He and his wife, Susan, have been married 30 years and have three grown children.